Research Engineer II

Overview

Georgia Tech prides itself on its technological resources, collaborations, high-quality student body, and its commitment to building an outstanding and diverse community of learning, discovery, and creation. We strongly encourage applicants whose values align with our institutional values, as outlined in our Strategic Plan. These values include academic excellence, diversity of thought and experience, inquiry and innovation, collaboration and community, and ethical behavior and stewardship. Georgia Tech has policies to promote a healthy work-life balance and is aware that attracting faculty may require meeting the needs of two careers.

About Georgia Tech

Georgia Tech is a top-ranked public research university situated in the heart of Atlanta, a diverse and vibrant city with numerous economic and cultural strengths. The Institute serves more than 45,000 students through top-ranked undergraduate, graduate, and executive programs in engineering, computing, science, business, design, and liberal arts. Georgia Tech's faculty attracted more than $1.4 billion in research awards this past year in fields ranging from biomedical technology to artificial intelligence, energy, sustainability, semiconductors, neuroscience, and national security. Georgia Tech ranks among the nation's top 20 universities for research and development spending and #1 among institutions without a medical school.

Georgia Tech's Mission and Values

Georgia Tech's mission is to develop leaders who advance technology and improve the human condition. The Institute has nine key values that are foundational to everything we do:

1. Students are our top priority.

2. We strive for excellence.

3. We thrive on diversity.

4. We celebrate collaboration.

5. We champion innovation.

6. We safeguard freedom of inquiry and expression.

7. We nurture the wellbeing of our community.

8. We act ethically.

9. We are responsible stewards.

Over the next decade, Georgia Tech will become an example of inclusive innovation, a leading technological research university of unmatched scale, relentlessly committed to serving the public good; breaking new ground in addressing the biggest local, national, and global challenges and opportunities of our time; making technology broadly accessible; and developing exceptional, principled leaders from all backgrounds ready to produce novel ideas and create solutions with real human impact.

About H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial & Systems Engineering

The H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISyE) is the largest and highest-ranked industrial and systems engineering program in the nation. The Research Engineer will join a dynamic, research-intensive environment within ISyE, working closely with ISyE faculty, students, and research staff while engaging broadly across Georgia Tech as appropriate. The position is deeply embedded in ISyE's research mission, with strong connections to the XR Makerspace and the School's emerging Human-Centered Engineering area of specialization. The Research Engineer will participate in interdisciplinary collaborations both within ISyE and across campus, including partnerships with industry, government, and applied research units. This position is ideally suited for researchers who wish to anchor their work within ISyE while bridging rigorous academic research with the design, implementation, and evaluation of high-impact, real-world engineering systems.

Position Summary

The H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISyE) at the Georgia Institute of Technology seeks a highly motivated and creative Research Engineer to support and advance research in Extended Reality (XR) and Human-Centered Engineering. The Research Engineer is expected to exercise substantial intellectual leadership and be eager to play a key role in building a vibrant, externally funded research ecosystem at the intersection of engineering, XR, and human-centered systems. The Research Engineer will work closely with the Director of the Allen Davidson Coleman XR Makerspace and ISyE faculty, as well as collaborators across Georgia Tech, to co-direct the XR Makerspace, lead and support research initiatives, mentor students, and actively pursue external funding. The position is structured as an appointment between XR Makerspace leadership and research development.

Primary Responsibilities

XR Makerspace

The Research Engineer will serve in the XR Makerspace with a primary emphasis on research enablement and community building. Responsibilities include:

• Collaborating with faculty and researchers in ISyE and across Georgia Tech to initiate and advance XR-driven research programs, with an emphasis on human-centered engineering.
• Providing scientific and technical leadership in the design, implementation, and evaluation of XR experiments, systems, and prototypes, particularly in human-centered contexts.
• Advancing ISyE's national and international visibility in XR research through publications, demonstrations, workshops, seminars, and participation in leading conferences and research forums.
• Shaping the XR Makerspace's research vision and culture by catalyzing interdisciplinary collaborations and aligning activities with strategic research priorities.
• Developing sustained, research-focused partnerships with industry and government, and creating translational pathways that inform both funded research and real-world impact.
• Participating in the strategic governance of the XR Makerspace, including research policy, safety frameworks, training standards, and long-term planning.
• Leading the evolution of XR research infrastructure, hardware/software ecosystems, and data workflows to ensure competitiveness in XR-enabled engineering research.

Research Leadership and Funding Development

The Research Engineer will lead and contribute to externally funded research activities aligned with ISyE's Human-Centered Engineering area of specialization. Responsibilities include:

• Actively seeking and developing external funding opportunities (e.g., federal agencies, industry, foundations) in collaboration with faculty in ISyE and across Georgia Tech.
• Leading and contributing to research projects focused on XR, human machine/AI/robot collaboration and related human-centered engineering use cases.
• Producing high-quality scholarly outputs, including peer-reviewed journal articles, conference papers, technical reports, and public-facing demonstrations.
• Leading XR-based experimental studies, system development efforts, and validation activities in both laboratory and real-world settings.
• Mentoring graduate and undergraduate students, including supervision of XR-related research projects and thesis/dissertation work when appropriate.
• Initiating new research directions and partnerships that expand ISyE's Human-Centered Engineering portfolio and national/international visibility.
• Contributing to strategic planning for ISyE's Human-Centered Engineering area, including roadmap development and cross-unit coordination.

• A Master's degree and three (3) years of relevant full-time experience after completion of that degree,
• A Master's degree and five (5) years of relevant full-time experience after completion of a Bachelor's degree, or
• A Doctoral degree

• PhD in Industrial Engineering, Systems Engineering, Human computer Interaction, Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering, Robotics, or a closely related field.
• Experience managing or co-leading shared research facilities or labs.
• Prior industry, government, or applied research experience.
• Experience mentoring graduate and undergraduate researchers.
• Familiarity with safety, ethics, and compliance considerations in human-subjects research.
• Demonstrated experience conducting independent and collaborative research in XR, HCI, or human-centered engineering systems.
• Strong track record or clear potential for securing external research funding.
• Experience publishing in peer-reviewed journals and top-tier conferences.
• Technical expertise in XR systems (e.g., VR/AR/MR), experimental design, and data analysis.
• Ability to work effectively in interdisciplinary research environments.

Applicants should submit:

• An academic cover letter
• A current curriculum vitae
• The names and contact information for at least three references. Note: References will only be contacted for candidates invited to a second round interview.

For questions related to the job post, please contact Dr. Mohsen Moghaddam.

The University System of Georgia is comprised of our 25 institutions of higher education and learning as well as the System Office. Our USG Statement of Core Values are Integrity, Excellence, Accountability, and Respect. These values serve as the foundation for all that we do as an organization, and each USG community member is responsible for demonstrating and upholding these standards. More details on the USG Statement of Core Values and Code of Conduct are available in USG Board Policy 8.2.18.1.2 and can be found on-line at https://www.usg.edu/policymanual/section8/C224/#p8.2.18_personnel_conduct.

Additionally, USG supports Freedom of Expression as stated in Board Policy 6.5 Freedom of Expression and Academic Freedom found on-line at https://www.usg.edu/policymanual/section6/C2653.

The Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. The Institute is committed to maintaining a fair and respectful environment for all. To that end, and in accordance with federal and state law, Board of Regents policy, and Institute policy, Georgia Tech provides equal opportunity to all faculty, staff, students, and all other members of the Georgia Tech community, including applicants for admission and/or employment, contractors, volunteers, and participants in institutional programs, activities, or services. Georgia Tech complies with all applicable laws and regulations governing equal opportunity in the workplace and in educational activities.

Equal opportunity and decisions based on merit are fundamental values of the University System of Georgia ("USG") and Georgia Tech. Georgia Tech prohibits discrimination, including discriminatory harassment, on the basis of an individual's race, ethnicity, ancestry, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age, disability, genetics, or veteran status in its programs, activities, employment, and admissions. Further, Georgia Tech prohibits citizenship status, immigration status, and national origin discrimination in hiring, firing, and recruitment, except where such restrictions are required in order to comply with law, regulation, executive order, or Attorney General directive, or where they are required by Federal, State, or local government contract.

This is not a supervisory position.
This position does not have any financial responsibilities.
This position will not be required to drive.
This role is not considered a position of trust.
This position does not require a purchasing card (P-Card).
This position will not travel
This position does not require security clearance.

Location: Atlanta, Georgia

Background Screening: Successful candidate must be able to pass a background check which will include a credit check. Please visit http://policylibrary.gatech.edu/employment/pre-employment-screening

Salary is commensurate with experience.

Successful candidate must be able to pass a background check. Please visit http://policylibrary.gatech.edu/employment/pre-employment-screening